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Background: Duration of mechanical ventilation is an important variable used by German Diagnosis-Related Groups (G-DRG) system to establish cost weight values for reimbursement after congenital heart surgery. Infants are commonly ventilated after open heart surgery. As of year 2015, we strived to achieve early postoperative extubation. This work studies how this approach impacted reimbursement after infant open heart surgery., Methods: Data of infants who underwent surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) from 2014 to 2018 were reviewed. Successful early extubation was defined as end of mechanical ventilation within 24 hours postoperatively, without reintubation at a later point. Mean cost weight values (case mix index [CMI]) of achieved DRGs were used for estimation of reimbursement. Evolutions over years of early extubation and of reimbursement were compared., Results: A total of 521 infants underwent operations on CPB. Of these, 161 (31%) procedures were of higher risk Society of Thoracic Surgery and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) categories 3 and 4. Early extubation was achieved in 205 (39%) patients. The rate increased from 14% (year 2014) to 57% (year 2018). Case mix index amounted to 8.87 ± 7.00 after early extubation, and 12.37 ± 7.85 after late extubation: P value <.0001. It was 8.77 ± 6.09 after early extubation in patients undergoing lower risk STAT categories 1 and 2 operations, and 8.09 ± 2.95 when categories 3 and 4 procedures were performed ( P = .18). An overall 14.4% decrease in hospital reimbursement per patient was observed., Conclusion: Early extubation could be progressively obtained in the majority of infants. This resulted in lower reimbursement. Surgical complexity was disregarded. The current G-DRG system appears to favor longer mechanical ventilation durations after infant open heart surgery.

A total of 458 hospital stays during the year 2011 were analysed to determine whether reimbursement by the current German Diagnosis-Related Groups system covers the costs incurred during hospital stay for congenital heart surgery. The costs of every hospital stay were estimated according to the guidelines of the Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System, an institute responsible for encoding hospital reimbursement in Germany. Cost-weight values of the year 2012 were applied for reimbursement. Related additional compensations were also included. Hospital costs ranged from 8896.26 to 193,671.94 euros per case, with a mean of 30,597 and standard deviation of 25,032 euros. Reimbursement varied from 8630.35 to 173,710.65 euros, with a mean of 25,514 and standard deviation of 18,497 euros: an underfunding of 17%. Fifty-nine per cent (271/458) of cases were classified, according to Aristotle complexity score, in higher comprehensive complexity: Levels 4-6. Costs highly correlated with complexity levels (Spearman's r coefficient = 0.89) and the regression was linear. Underfunding increased, linearly, from 6% for procedures with Level 1, lowest comprehensive complexity, to 23% for those with Level 6, highest complexity. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that reimbursement by the current German Diagnosis-Related Groups system increasingly penalises complex congenital heart surgery. Aristotle complexity score could help to correct this prejudicial situation.

Planning and budgeting for congenital heart surgery depend primarily on how closely reimbursement matches costs and on the number and complexity of the surgical procedures. Aristotle complexity scores for the year 2010 were correlated with hospital costs and with reimbursement according to the German diagnosis-related groups (DRG) system. Unit surgical performance was estimated as surgical performance (complexity score × hospital survival) times the number of primary procedures. This study investigated how this performance evolved during years 2006 to 2010. Hospital costs and reimbursements correlated highly with Aristotle comprehensive complexity levels (Spearman r = 1). Mean costs and reimbursement reached 35,050 ± 32,665 and 31,283 ± 34,732, respectively, for an underfunding of 10.7%. Basic and comprehensive unit surgical performances were respectively 3036 ± 1009 and 3891 ± 1591 points in 2006. Both performances increased in sigmoid fashion to reach 3883 ± 1344 and 5335 ± 1314 points, respectively, in 2010. Top performances would be achieved in year 2011, and extrapolated costs would comprise about 19,434,094.92 (95% confidence interval, 11,961,491.22-22,495,764.42). The current underfunding of congenital heart surgery needs correction. The Aristotle score can help to adjust reimbursement according to complexity of procedures. Unit surgical performance allows accurate budgeting in the current German DRG system.

Background: Hospital costs are expected to correlate with clinical complexity. Do costs for congenital heart surgery correlate with Aristotle complexity scores?, Methods: 442 inpatient stays in 2008 were evaluated. Aristotle scores and levels were determined. Costs were estimated according to the German Institute for Hospital Reimbursement system. Pearson and Spearman R correlation coefficients and corresponding goodness-of-fit regression coefficients R2 were calculated., Results: Mean basic and comprehensive Aristotle scores were 7.60 +/- 2.74 and 9.23 +/- 2.94 points, respectively. Mean expenses per hospital stay amounted to 29,369 +/- 30,823 Euros. Aristotle basic and comprehensive scores and levels were positively correlated with hospital costs. With a Spearman R of 1 and related R2 of 0.9436, scores of the 6 Aristotle comprehensive levels correlated best. Mean hospital reimbursement was 26,412 +/- 17,962 Euros. Compensation was higher than expenses for patients in comprehensive levels 1 to 3, but much lower for those in levels 4 to 6., Conclusions: Aristotle comprehensive complexity scores were highly correlated with hospital costs. The Aristotle score could be used as a scale to establish the correct reimbursement after congenital heart surgery., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.)

Background: Scores of Aristotle comprehensive complexity (ACC) levels have been demonstrated to correlate with the case-mix index (CMI) (cost-weights) generated by the German Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) 2009 version (G-DRG 2009). The equation used was "y = 0.5591 + 0.939 x" whereby y stands for cost-weight and x for ACC score. We hypothesised that each ACC level could be assigned a DRG (ACC DRG) and be used to determine hospital reimbursement., Methods: 185 patients underwent cardiac surgery between January and June 2009. The ACC scores of these 185 patients were grouped in ACC levels, based on the basic cost-weight value of their DRG. One ACC DRG was assigned to each group and a corresponding cost-weight calculated based on the aforementioned equation. The resulting ACC CMI was compared with the CMI generated by the G-DRG 2009 (G-DRG 2009 CMI). Finally, the ACC surgical performance (complexity x hospital survival) was used to calculate the cost-weight; the obtained CMI was called "effective ACC CMI"., Results: Mean ACC score was 9.515 +/- 3.611 points. Derived ACC CMI and related G-DRG 2009 CMI were 9.494 and 8.438, respectively. Hospital survival was 97.8 % (181/184). Therefore ACC surgical performance and "effective ACC CMI" were 9.306 and 9.297, respectively. For each ACC level, the number of patients (n), mean ACC score, ACC CMI and related G-DRG 2009 CMI were as follows: Level 1: n = 25, 4.024 +/- 0.879, 4.338 and 5.911; Level 2: n = 30, 6.563 +/- 0.574, 6.722 and 6.602; Level 3: n = 43, 8.665 +/- 0.540, 8.695 and 8.088; Level 4: n = 73, 11.730 +/- 1.690, 11.574 and 9.612; Level 5: n = 14, 16.710 +/- 1.380, 16.249 and 11.843, respectively., Conclusions: The Aristotle score can be used to adjust hospital reimbursement by assigning a DRG and cost-weight value to each ACC level. Missing figures for level 6 can be obtained from a previous study which showed a mean score of 22.11 +/- 1.24: the ACC CMI would be 21.320. The 6 ACC DRGs indicate the correct compensation based on the complexity of the procedure. Reimbursement using the German DRG 2009 appears to favour less complex cases, while procedures with a higher complexity are penalised. Reimbursement according to "effective ACC CMIs" would have a strong impact by supporting units providing high-quality care., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.)

Objectives: The Disease-Related Groups (DRGs) system postulates that inpatient stays with similar levels of clinical complexity are expected to consume similar amounts of resources. This, applied to surgery of congenital heart disease, suggests that the higher the complexity of procedures as estimated by the Aristotle complexity score, the higher hospital reimbursement should be. This study analyses how much case-mix index (CMI) generated by German DRG 2009 version correlates with Aristotle score., Methods: A total of 456 DRG cases of year 2008 were regrouped according to German DRG 2009 and related cost-weight values and overall CMI evaluated. Corresponding Aristotle basic and comprehensive complexity scores (ABC and ACC) and levels were determined. Associated surgical performance (Aristotle score times hospital survival) was estimated. Spearman 'r' correlation coefficients were calculated between Aristotle scores and cost-weights. Goodness of fit 'r(2)' from derived regression was determined. Correlation was estimated to be optimal if Spearman 'r' and derived goodness of fit 'r(2)' approached 1 value., Results: CMI was 8.787 while mean ABC and ACC scores were 7.64 and 9.27, respectively. Hospital survival was 98.5%: therefore, surgical performance attained 7.53 (ABC score) and 9.13 (ACC score). ABC and ACC scores and levels positively correlated with cost-weights. With Spearman 'r' of 1 and goodness of fit 'r(2)' of 0.9790, scores of the six ACC levels correlated at best. The equation was y = 0.5591 + 0.939x, in which y stands for cost-weight (CMI) and x for score of ACC level., Conclusions: ACC score correlates almost perfectly with corresponding cost-weights (CMI) generated by the German DRG 2009. It could therefore be used as the basis for hospital reimbursement to compensate in conformity with procedures' complexity. Extrapolated CMI in this series would be 9.264. Modulation of reimbursement according to surgical performance could be established and thus 'reward' quality in congenital heart surgery., (Copyright 2009 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

From a care provider's view quality of care should, of course, be the major focus. But should results such as employer quality, quality of cooperation, and the economic outcome not be treated as equally important aims since they interact mutually? By analyzing impacts on the quality of care, we found direct factors like the quality of applied procedures or clinical pathways influenced by secondary factors like quality assurance and research, for instance. As expected, all of these factors are essentially involved by the human factor. In order to sustainably improve results in health care, the human factor requires a new attendance and should be addressed in dimensions of results that are as important as quality of care itself. Optimizing the human factor in health care is a prerequisite to sustainably improve quality and requires an advanced point of view on dimensions of results that mutually interact with the quality of care: Focus on the patient. In order to achieve this goal, we have to primarily focus on the organization hospital., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.)

Fast track in cardiac surgery is not well defined. In the past early or immediate extubation was used as a marker. After cardiac surgery this parameter is not sufficient. In addition to cardiorespiratory stability, circulatory and haemostatic homeostasis are also required. Therefore the current Fast Track concept includes a period of intensive monitoring of the patient postoperatively to establish stability. Thereafter intensive care medicine should not be required. Evolving new surgical concepts in combination with appropriate anaesthesiologic management will lead to wide application of fast track cardiac surgery in the future.

Objectives: In the German diagnosis-related group (G-DRG) system, hospital reimbursement for anesthesia is linked to specific surgical procedures, irrespective of case duration. Accordingly, costs of innovative procedures, such as endoscopic cardiac surgery, may be underreimbursed. The authors assessed to what extent anesthesia costs for endoscopic cardiac surgery are reimbursed with the G-DRG system., Design: Retrospective analysis., Setting: University hospital., Participants: Eighty-four patients were studied undergoing general anesthesia for minimally invasive endoscopic port-access intracardiac surgery (n = 42) or conventional "open" surgery (n = 42) for similar indications., Interventions: None., Measurements and Main Results: The authors measured anesthesia staffing time, costs, and reimbursement for endoscopic cardiac surgery and compared results with data from a matched group undergoing conventional surgery. Endoscopic surgery increased anesthesia staffing time per case by 521 minutes (977 minutes +/- 177 v 456 +/- 92, mean +/- standard deviation, p = 0.0001) and costs by approximately 200%. Anesthesia duration increased by 152 minutes (503 minutes +/- 89 v 351 +/- 69, p = 0.0001). In contrast, staffing reimbursement did not increase at the time of the patient's surgery (euro500/case [446-569] v 492 [452-508], p = 0.75, median [interquartile range]) or with the 2007 G-DRG matrix (euro548/case [463-559] v 503 [503-568], p = 0.48). Cost recovery was only 66% +/- 17.4% and 72.7 +/- 38.9 in the 2007 G-DRG matrix, respectively., Conclusions: It was shown that (1) endoscopic cardiac surgery consumed more anesthesia resources and was underreimbursed both relative to actual costs and to conventional surgery, (2) costs for such anesthesia services were inappropriately reflected in the G-DRG system, and (3) a DRG system's inability to adapt timely to innovative procedures may adversely affect anesthesia departments and medical progress.

The German diagnosis-related Group (G-DRG) System has recently been published in its third version. From 2005 on, this system will be the definite measure for the budgets of nearly all german hospitals. The preliminary phase with no budget reduction or redistribution being made and in which an inappropriate classification system had no negative impact on reimbursement has, thus, come to an end. At present, many hospitals are struggling in an economic competition about the independence or maintenance of the hospital or several sub-departments. The changes in the classification system with regard to a marked increase in the number of G DRGs, a modified grouping-logic, more properly determined reductions and extra charges for low and high outlier as well as the introduction of further additional charges contribute thereby to a better covering of services and treatments of cardiovascular patients. However, while many of the known problems have been eliminated, there are still weaknesses in the G-DRG System even concerning cardiovascular medicine. The G-DRG System has to be adapted continuously with consultation of the clinical expertise of the respective medical societies. The most important new aspects and changes in the G-DRG System 2005 and the accompanied execution regulations are explained with special view on cardiology.

Medical goods and laboratory costs represent approximately 24% and 3.6% of the total costs in German university hospitals, respectively. Therefore, efficient instruments to control the costs of medical goods may help to reduce the costs. By implementation of an interface to an external consulting institute during the process of introducing a quality management system according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 in a university cardiac-surgery department, the costs of medical goods could be reduced by 3.3% per operation with extracorporeal circulation, in spite of an unchanged surgery spectrum in the clinic. By implementation of obligatory laboratory standards, the costs of laboratory investigations could be additionally reduced by 35%. The introduction of a process-based quality management system allows to achieve efficient control of the costs of medical goods and laboratory investigations.

Patients and Method: In a pilot study 70 patients treated in the Department of Cardiology were asked to asses the cost of coronary angiography, PTCA, heart transplantation, pacemakers and prosthetic heart valves. Salaries of physicians and nurses should be estimated, and causes of increase of costs in health care be defined., Results: 91.7% patients criticized health care as too expensive but reasonable with regard to output and efficacy. As most important reasons for increase of cost were given "expensive drugs" (70.6%), "great number of drugs" (56.9%) and "increased number of old patients" (56.9%). Costs of coronary angiography were overestimated (twice) and those of PTCA were underestimated (half). Two thirds of the patients guessed the price of pacemakers and prosthetic heart valves much to low. Salaries of physicians had been estimated near the upper reference value, those of nurses near the lower reference value., Conclusion: Most of our patients were insufficiently informed about costs in health care. Clarification and more transparency are needed.

Decreasing financial resources in the health care system require effective cost management. For this reason and due to special modalities of reimbursement regulations for open heart procedures, we analyzed the extent of additional costs caused by subsequent deep wound infections requiring surgical revision. The real costs of 12 consecutive cases of sternal infections out of a total of 1,124 open heart procedures in 1996 were assessed and differentiated.